His Presence (2)

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord. We thank God for His grace, His mercies, His loving-kindness and His tendermercies. He is faithful! In Judges 6, we are told of a time when Israel was going through a very trying time. They had done “evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. Because of the Midianites, Israel stayed in “dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.” Unfortunately for the Israelites, whenever they sowed, the Midianites, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, would come against them, and encamp against them, destroying their increase, and leaving nothing to sustain them, “neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass…. And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.” After the LORD spoke to them through a prophet, of where He brought them out from i.e. the land of Egypt, and bondage; and how He had given them instructions not to fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land they dwell, and how they did not obey His voice, (Judges 6v1-10). The Bible then records that:

Primary Text: Judges 6v11-16

“The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the LORD is with you!” “Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The LORD brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the LORD has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.” Then the LORD turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” “But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” The LORD said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.” Judges 6v12-16 (NLT)

Israel had suffered so much, that when the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, He said, if God is with us, why are all these things happening? Now, as Christians, there are times when we go through trials and tribulations, but we know that if God be for us, who can be against us (Romans 8v31), and He always causeth us to triumph in Christ (2 Corinthians 2v14), we having the Greater One on the inside of us (1 John 4v4). But, in this situation, the children of Israel had disobeyed God. We see a similar example where the children of Israel, after the mighty victory of Jericho, could not stand before Ai, because of sin (Joshua 7). But now, they had cried unto God, and God wanted to send Gideon to rescue Israel from the Midianites. But Gideon was feeling far from courageous, or mighty, or able to do anything. But God was reassuring Him that He was sending him and will be with him. Maybe you have failed or sinned in time past, and have become wary of your Christian walk, wondering, will I make it? Can I move on? The Bible says “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8v36). “… though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again” (Proverbs 24v16). Child of God, move on. Even as you have repented, and cried unto God, He is merciful, forgiving iniquity. He says “I will not accuse them forever, nor will I always be angry, for then they would faint away because of Me – the very people I have created” (Isaiah 57v16, NIV). Walk with Him anew. Renew your confidence in Him. Be strong in Him, and in the power of His might (Ephesians 6v10). Relying not on your own righteousness, but remembering that “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5v21, KJV). If the devil comes with condemnation, tell him he is a liar, and the Lord has forgiven you. Hallelujah! 

Supplementary Text:

“For thus says the high and lofty One -- He Who inhabits eternity, Whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, but with him also who is of a thoroughly penitent and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the thoroughly penitent [bruised with sorrow for sin]. For I will not contend forever, neither will I be angry always, for [if I did stay angry] the spirit [of man] would faint and be consumed before Me, and [my purpose in] creating the souls of men would be frustrated.” Isaiah 15v15-17 (AMP)

Prayer

Father we thank You. We thank You for Your Word. We ask for a humble heart and a contrite spirit in the name of Jesus. We pray that we will always and forever be in Your presence. When You said, seek ye My face, our hearts are saying, Thy face Lord will we seek. We love You. We honor You. We appreciate You. Glorify Yourself in our lives now and forevermore in Jesus name, amen.